In typical Tom-Izzo fashion, Michigan State is still dancing. At one point in the regular season, the Spartans lost seven of 12 games. It didn’t look promising. Now healthy, Michigan State remains as we continue narrowing toward a champion.

The Wildcats won with their youth. In the end, Kentucky played poised and made enough plays to win the game. In many facets of the game, the Wildcats outplayed the veteran Louisville squad. Kentucky was 22 of 27 from the line, while the Cardinals were 13 of 23.

Kentucky's freshmen played with more poise than Louisville's seniors, unreal

Both teams are fighting. Each possession is being contested and baskets are earned. It’s making for a wonderful basketball game. The second half has been cleanly played: solid defense, but a lack of unforced errors. With the crowd in Madison Square Garden electrified, it’s anyone’s game.

LOUISVILLE 50, KENTUCKY 44 — 11:13 left in the second half

The Cardinals have picked up the tempo, and it is benefiting them on both sides. Louisville has gotten outlet passes leading to transition points and has Kentucky settling into a lull.

MICHIGAN STATE 33, VIRGINIA 32 — 15:36 left in the second half

If you like defense, this game is for you. Both sides have been superb on that side of the ball, and it has led to a toughly-contested matchup so far.

INDIANAPOLIS — Louisville has the lead at halftime, 34-31, but Kentucky probably feels a little bit better about where it stands in this Midwest Regional semifinal.

In a strange first half with foul trouble, free throw problems and wild swings of momentum, it felt like the Cardinals dominated longer stretches. But Kentucky was able to claw back in the game, get Louisville’s front line in foul trouble and finally get its rhythm from the 3-point line.

Here’s the good for Louisville: it’s hanging in there on the boards (UK’s edge is just 22-19) and its zone is making life difficult for Kentucky on the inside. But here’s the bad: Montrezl Harrell has three fouls (Rick Pitino’s gamble to leave him in with two backfired when he got hit with a charge call with 2:17 left), Luke Hancock has two and senior Russ Smith is an astonishing 4 of 10 at the foul line.

Here’s the good for Kentucky: It survived a messy start, made just 3-of-11 from the 3-point line and was starting to use its size advantage toward the end of the half as Julius Randle almost has a double double already (9 points, 9 rebounds). Here’s the bad: The Wildcats are just 7 for 19 inside the arc and are allowing Louisville to shoot 50 percent. Also, Kentucky lost big man Willie Cauley-Stein to an ankle injury early in the first half. He limped back to the bench and then went to the locker room and will not return.

Louisville couldn’t have asked for a better start, jumping out to an 18-5 lead as the Wildcats launched too many 3-pointers (they missed their first six) and looked out of control on the offensive end.

But with Hancock, who picked up two fouls fewer than five minutes into the game, Louisville’s rotation went a little out of whack. Kentucky, crept back within 23-18 with 6:33 left in the half, fell behind again by nine but closed strong going to the locker room.

It’s anybody’s game at this point. ​

Kentucky has clawed back into this game and it has been behind Julius Randle’s nine-point, nine-rebound effort. But the Cardinals could be leading this game by a bigger margin if not for a 6-for-15 effort from the free throw line.

MICHIGAN STATE 23, VIRGINIA 23 — 3:44 left in the first half

The Spartans started with the hot hand, and that trend has reversed. Michigan State has gone on a massive drought, and the big reason for that is because of Virginia’s stiff defense. The Cavaliers have tightened up on that side of the ball, and Michigan State hasn’t found an answer.

13-0 run for Hoos. Spartans, once shooting 75 percent, now at 44. And dropping. No bucket since 9:46

The Wildcats already have 10 offensive rebounds, but it hasn’t necessarily translated into points. Kentucky has missed some short shots, and that’s not the biggest issue the Wildcats have. So far, the young squad has seven field goals, but seven turnovers.

MICHIGAN STATE 19, VIRGINIA 11 — 10:40 left in the first half

Virginia is struggling with its rebounding, losing the battle to Michigan State 9-6 early on. But the Cavaliers are sharing the ball and playing balanced on offense. The problem is that the three-point shots haven’t fallen. So far, Virginia is 1 of 5 from beyond the arc. If the Cavaliers can hit some of their long-distance looks, they will close the gap.

LOUISVILLE 21, KENTUCKY 14 — 7:24 left in the first half

The Wildcats are playing very much like a collection of freshmen. Forced shots, and five turnovers are leading to quick Louisville possessions. The Cardinals, meanwhile, are playing disciplined and moving the ball in pursuit of a high-percentage look.

Kentucky is 1-for-7 from the 3-point line. That's why Louisville can commit to this zone.

The game just started and already, Spartans center Adreian Payne is getting it done. He has seven points on 2 of 3 shooting. Michigan State seems content to feed him the ball and until the Cavaliers stop him, they will likely continue to do so.

LOUISVILLE 16, KENTUCKY 5 — 13:05 left in the first half

The Wildcats are off to an awful start. Kentucky is getting some open looks, but they’re not falling. Kentucky is 2 of 10 from the field, while the Cardinals are 7 of 13. Once the Wildcats settle down, they should close the gap. But they need to maximize their possessions.

Kentucky is an absolute mess. 16-5, Louisville. Calipari has to use another timeout.

This is the game that everyone has been waiting for in the Sweet Sixteen, and it’s finally here. Kentucky starts five freshmen, but makes up for its lack of experience with athleticism and talent. The Cardinals, meanwhile, are veterans who have been here before. They’re hated rivals.

Through the first few minutes, both teams are feeling each other out, much like in a prize fight.

It was a valiant effort for Fred Hoiberg’s Iowa State team to charge back into a game it had no business being in, but ultimately, the Cyclones fell short. UConn is peaking and playing excellent basketball right now, but the Cyclones were also short handed, without Georges Niang, who broke a bone in his foot earlier in the tournament.

In the end, however, Shabazz Napier and the Huskies stepped up when it mattered most. But most of the credit has to go to forward DeAndre Daniels, who picked up 27 points in the victory.

Great season meets a tough end for ISU. Tough to do much of anything when your two best players go 8-29 and your third is watching.

Iowa State forward Dustin Hogue has kept the Cyclones in this game, almost by himself. With 34 points, Iowa State has charged back into it, but it’s looking like it won’t be enough.

MICHIGAN 73, TENNESSEE 71 — FINAL

It will go down as the most controversial call of the game, and one that potentially cost Tennessee the game, but the Jordan McRae being called for a charge will be dissected for the rest of the tournament.

Partly because of that, the SEC was handed its first defeat of the NCAA tournament.

Ref's mistake on that charge call was blowing it too soon. Ball was knocked away, should have been a play on.

The Vols were closing in, but Michigan is keeping them at a safe distance. For Tennessee, it continues to be a two-man show: Josh Richardson and Jordan McRae are leading the effort, but they need more help.

MICHIGAN 62, TENNESSEE 53 — 7:02 left in the second half

The Volunteers are keeping it manageable, but with time ticking off the clock, they will need to go on a run soon. It has to come from someone other than guards Josh Richardson and Jordan McRae, who have combined for 27 points.

The keys the rest of the way will be to continue guarding Michigan at the perimeter and to convert baskets with efficient possessions.

The Volunteers are climbing back into this game. Not coincidentally, Michigan’s perimeter shooting has cooled. That was expected; there was no way the Wolverines could’ve sustained their shooting percentage throughout the entire game.

Now that the Wolverines have hit a cold spell, Tennessee needs to capitalize. Down nine points, there is plenty of game to make a comeback.

Stauskas has been very, very quiet since early in the first half. Just 3-for-9 from the field, a few forced shots.

The Wolverines aren’t slowing down. Michigan continues to fire long-range shot after long-range shot — and it’s draining them. The Wolverines are 9 of 15 from beyond the arc, but the Vols are trying some halftime adjustments to try to make it a game.

Texas zoned Michigan and at least made it a game. Tennessee trying same.

Like most of Connecticut’s opponents this season, Iowa State is finding it difficult to get things going offensively — particularly inside. And on the other end, the Huskies have exposed Iowa State’s deficiencies defending the three. If Iowa State is going to turn this game around, it has to find Connecticut’s shooters on the perimeter and try to get things going inside. Considering the Huskies’ track record this season, that will be a very tall task.

Shabazz Napier, meanwhile, has continued his stellar play in the NCAA tournament. The 6-foot-1 senior had 12 points, two assists and two rebounds in the first half. Backcourt mate Ryan Boatright has chipped in with 10 points, which is the difference in this game at the half.

MICHIGAN 45, TENNESSEE 34 — HALFTIME

From USA TODAY Sports’ Dan Wolken:

INDIANAPOLIS — On the very first possession of the Midwest Regional semifinal between No. 2 seed Michigan and No. 11 seed Tennessee, Wolverines wing Glenn Robinson III got a 1-on-1 matchup out on the perimeter with Vols big man Jeronne Maymon.

It was pretty much over from there.

And as Robinson blew by Maymon for the easy bucket, it was pretty obvious why this would be a tough assignment for Tennessee. The Vols are at their best playing big inside with Maymon and Jarnell Stokes and pounding teams on the glass. But Michigan’s versatile, long wings presented a lot of matchup problems in the first half as the Wolverines took a 45-34 lead into halftime.

Though Tennessee shot 50 percent from the field, the Wolverines scorched the nets, making 16-of-26 field goals including 7-of-9 from the 3-point line.

The Vols often looked clueless trying to defend Michigan’s array of cuts and screens, giving up too many baseline drives and straight-line looks at the rim.

It certainly didn’t help that Maymon picked up two early fouls, but the way Michigan shot the ball in the first half, it may not have mattered.

Stokes, who averaged 20.3 points and 15 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament, had just four points and two rebounds in the first half.

Caris Levert had 10 points for Michigan in a very balanced scoring effort. Nik Stauskas had eight points.

We’ll see what kind of defensive adjustments Tennessee — the nation’s 15th-most efficient defense, according to KenPom.com — makes for the second half to try to get back in the game. ​

Michigan set a school record for the NCAA tournament with 14 threes in last Saturday’s victory over Texas, and the Wolverines picked right up where they left off. They made their first three shots from behind the arc to take a 13-7 lead a little over four minutes into the game.

But Josh Richardson, who has been dazzling all tournament, kept Tennessee close. When Jordan McRae made a stepback jumper, it put the Vols back in front, 21-20.

Zak Irvin responded with a pair of threes from so far back he was almost off the court, however, and Michigan never trailed the rest of the half.

As impressive as Michigan’s long-range shooting is, the Wolverines showed they can do some damage inside, too. Jordan Morgan finished the half with two monster dunks, overpowering a Tennessee squad that was supposed to have the size advantage.

UCONN 30, IOWA STATE 22 — 3:51 left in the first half

Until the Cyclones come up with a way to contain Huskies guards Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright, there’s no way Iowa State will have a chance. Napier and Boatright have combined for 20 points — two fewer than the entire Cyclones team.

MICHIGAN 45, TENNESSEE 34 — HALFTIME

From USA TODAY Sports’ Steven Ruiz:

Michigan is shooting more than 60 percent from the field and more than 77 percent from three; yet the Wolverines lead Tennessee by just 11 points at the half. Cuonzo Martin can’t be happy with his team’s defense, but being within four possessions after taking Michigan’s best shot has to be a relief. The Wolverines can’t maintain this shooting percentage, and they allowed Texas to get back into the game after taking an even bigger lead last weekend. The Vols, on the other hand, should be able to maintain the success they’ve had offensively.

Tennessee hit a cold spell, but is playing fairly well. The problem? It is letting Michigan shoot 7 of 9 from three-point range. There’s no way the Volunteers can keep up unless they do something to stop the Wolverines’ perimeter shooting.

Connecticut is shutting down the paint. The Huskies already have two blocks, and Iowa State is shooting 25 percent from inside the arc. If this turns into a three-point contest, Connecticut has a serious advantage.

Another timeout in the game, another barrage of threes for the Wolverines. Tennessee is not doing nearly enough to stop Michigan’s perimeter shooting. Making matters worse, the Vols have missed seven of their last eight shots.

Through 13 minutes, Michigan has to be happy with the way this game is going. The Wolverines are getting looks from three, and, more importantly, they are knocking them down. Surprisingly, Michigan has matched Tennessee’s scoring in the paint thus far. If that continues, Michigan will roll.

The Wolverines are commanding a small lead, again, because of their three-point shooting. Michigan is now 5 of 6 from beyond the arc. If the Vols can’t contain Michigan’s outside shooting, this game could get out of hand early.

UCONN 10, IOWA STATE 4 — 15:40 left in the first half

The Huskies have been here before, and a few minutes into their game, they look to be more confident than the Cyclones. Iowa State is only 2 of 6 in the early going and needs to settle down.

Iowa State wins its games on the offensive end; Connecticut wins its games on the defensive end. At least that has been the trend for these two teams all year. But on Friday night, Iowa State will be without Georges Niang, who is the most important player to the Cyclones’ excellent offense. In the round of 32, Iowa State outlasted a talented (but flawed) North Carolina team thanks to a career outing from DeAndre Kane. Kane, or versatile forward Melvin Ejim, may have to repeat that effort if the Cyclones are going to remain as efficient on the offensive end against Connecticut’s defense.

Iowa State has the ability to beat you from outside, but it does a lot of damage in the paint. The Cyclone shoot 54.6 percent from inside the arch, which ranks ninth nationally. But Connecticut is one of the best defensive teams on the interior. The Huskies block 15.7 percent of opponents’ attempts and rank seventh nationally in two-point field goal defense.

On the other end, the Huskies offensive will go as far as Shabazz Napier takes it. The senior guard has averaged 24.5 points a game through two tournament games, and he’ll have to maintain that to keep the Huskies’ run going. Connecticut will also have to hit from the outside, which it is very capable of doing – the Huskies rank 17th national in three-point shooting percentage. Iowa State hasn’t been particularly good at defending the three-point line this season, so Connecticut could find an advantage there.

The key stats to watch in this game will be Iowa State’s points in the paint and Connecticut’s three-point shooting. Those two numbers will likely decide which team advances to the Elite Eight.

MICHIGAN 18, TENNESSEE 16 — 11:42 left in the first half

The Volunteers have charged back, and as expected, they have become more aggressive on the defensive end. On offense, guard Josh Richardson has been the early source for points, with seven through the first eight minutes of the game.

So far, the Wolverines are looking to push the pace and are firing away from long range. Michigan is 3 for 3 from three-point range, which doesn’t bode well for the Volunteers early on. Although some of the shots may not have been the best in terms of shot selection, they have gone in. Tennessee needs to step up its perimeter defense.

Another thing it needs to do is rebound. In the first four and a half minutes, the Volunteers don’t have one rebound; the Wolverines have four.

MICHIGAN, TENNESSEE — PRE-GAME

From USA TODAY Sports’ Steven Ruiz:

For Michigan, Friday night’s opponent will seem awfully similar to the team it played last round. The Texas Longhorns statistical profile bears a striking resemblance to Tennessee’s. Both teams are prone to stretches of cold shooting but make up for it with relentless offensive rebounding and good low post scoring. The Vols, like the Longhorns, are excellent at defending the paint, as well. The big difference — and the one the will be vital in tonight’s game — is how these two teams defend the three-point line. Against a Michigan that shoots the three as much as any team in the country, that difference will loom large.

Texas played a 2-3 zone against Michigan last weekend, which allowed the Wolverines to bomb away from deep — a questionable strategy when facing a team that ranks sixth nationally in three-point shooting percentage. It’s safe to say Tennessee won’t employ a similar game plan. Only 27 percent of its opponents’ field goal attempts were from beyond the arc, and that’s by design. Cuonzo Martin’s team tries to run opposing shooters off the three-point line. That will be a difficult task against Michigan which shoots threes on 40 percent of its attempts.

The key to watch in this game will be how many three-point attempts the Wolverines get and what kind of shots they are. If Michigan gets a bunch of open looks from deep, it will run Tennessee off the court like it did Texas. If Michigan forces a bunch of contested threes, the Vols will win.

From USA TODAY Sports’ Nancy Armour:

Just when your heart rate had finally returned to normal, the Madness is back. The Sweet Sixteen gets underway tonight with four games, and there’s a little something for everyone: Underdogs, upset bids and, with Iowa State playing, the potential for some really bad dancing.

We can’t promise as much upheaval as last weekend, when No. 1 seed Wichita State got taken out along with Duke, Kansas and Villanova. But there are some fantastic matchups, beginning with an unlikely SEC representative in the 11th-seeded Tennessee Volunteers.

Since your bracket was busted a long time ago, you can just sit back and enjoy the games. With that in mind, here are three things you should keep an eye on:

ADREIAN PAYNE — Even Virginia fans have to have a soft spot for Michigan State’s big forward, whose friendship with 8-year-old cancer patient Lacey Holsworth is the most touching story of the tournament. Oh, Payne can play a little, too, and will be key if Michigan State is to get by the top-seeded Cavaliers.

IOWA STATE COACH FRED HOIBERG — He can’t dance. At all. His moves are so bad, in fact, that Hoiberg texted his daughter to apologize for embarrassing her after cameras caught him dancing in the locker room. Hey, with the Mercer guy gone, we need someone to keep us entertained.​

Follow @SportsPSAon Twitter for tweets alerting you when you absolutely HAVE to watch, whether it’s on TV, your desktop or your phone. Don’t forget to enable text notifications!